Sodexo Stops Hunger

Meaningful Partnerships

By Jim Schulze
September 8th, 2011

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On June 6, 2010, I had the opportunity to attend the Annual Sodexo Foundation dinner, held in the Omni Shoreham Hotel in Washington, DC.  It was my first experience with this dinner.  It was also my first exposure to both the many great activities the Sodexo Foundation organizes, and those programs created by individuals throughout the United States.   During the introductory presentations they shared interesting information about how the foundation got started and its vision for the future.  This helped me gain a greater understanding and appreciation for the culture within Sodexo.

During the dinner, Sodexo management recognized the efforts of several individuals who developed programs in their local communities, helping feed the hungry.  They shared the touching stories of how these children and adults decided to take action, and the incredible impact they had on others in need. They recognized six children, ages 5 to 19, who created special programs.   It was inspiring to see these young individuals spending time to make life better for others.  They were able to do so much with very few resources.  These students did not set out to gain recognition, but it was wonderful to see them rewarded for their good work.  The Sodexo Foundation made an impact in their lives with the awarding of a $5,000 Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship for the individual and a $5,000 matching grants for each of their hunger-related charities of choice.

The Heroes of Everyday Life program was also heart warming.  The company encourages all their employees to find ways to help fight hunger in their local communities.  Every year at this dinner, they recognize about 8 employees that they feel have really exemplified the strongest acts of giving.  They shared the individual stories of these employees and the type of impact they have made on fighting hunger.  It’s very humbling to hear what they were able to accomplish.  The recipients were extremely proud and happy to accept the grants for their local charities.

During the presentation, they shared some incredible statistics; including one in every four children in America is at risk of hunger.  I have three children of my own and everyday have at least four children in my home.  The thought that one of them could go to bed hungry really made me stop and think.   I walked away from this dinner with a huge appreciation for Sodexo and the Sodexo Foundation.  I found myself proud to have Oneida Ltd. associated with such a company.  I also wanted to find a way for Oneida to be involved in supporting this foundation and the individuals it helps everyday. 

I helped put together a program that would not only contribute to the Sodexo Foundation, but would also build sales for Oneida.  I presented to our upper management and they were immediately supportive of the idea.  Oneida committed to donating 2% of sales from our luxury and fine dining products that were sold to Sodexo business units through Edward Don, our distributor.  Our sales team, Edward Don’s sales team, and the Hunger Champion’s at Sodexo all did a great job communicating the program to help impact the results. All parties were pleased with the results of the first year of this program.

We are now very excited to kick off our second year of this program, and have moved up the date to start in September, Hunger Action Month.  We are adding a social media component thru Facebook and Twitter.  On Facebook, we will add to our total donation, $1 for every new Oneida Ltd Fan from 9/12/11 – 10/12/11, with a goal of gaining 1,000 new fans.  Fans can also donate directly to the Sodexo Foundation while on the Oneida Ltd Facebook page through a special app. Please help us make this 1,000 new fan goal a reality – click here!

Jim Schulze is senior vice president of sales for Oneida Global Foodservice.

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Baking a Difference

By Amy and Emma Bushman
August 12th, 2011

Check out more "Bake Me Home" pictures by clicking on the above photograph.

Amy:    I was really happy when I found out we won the Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship!  I said “Wooooowwww,” when Sarah from Sodexo gave us the giant check at one of our jar filling activities.

Emma: I was stunned! I was literally in shock. I could not stop smiling!  The money we won for Bake Me Home will help us expand to help more families. The money we won for college makes us really proud that we are helping add to our college account when we are only ten. But, at the award ceremony, I was a little nervous.

Amy:    I thought it was really cool to be up there in front of almost a thousand people and get to talk too!  Our mom said not many adults would want to do that!  They got a few new catch phrases out of our video too — whenever they have a problem at Sodexo they can just say, “Let me think…” 

Emma:  Up on stage while we watched the video, all we thought was wow, what a wonderful job they did on it, and how much we love it, and how great the people working at Sodexo really are.

Amy:    We really thought Julia Pipkins’ story was super cool. How getting that box of groceries in her door as a kid changed her life and inspired her to grow up and help other hungry people.  Wouldn’t it be cool if something like that happened with a kid who got one of our Tote Bags — if they grew up to be like Julia!

Amy:    We are happy to say that the Sodexo Foundation has inspired us to create our own awards where kids write in and tell us about what they did to help an organization that helps kids. We will pick two winners at the end of the summer who will each win $100 for a charity they pick. We hope one day we can grow it to even more money!  A big part of our mission is getting other kids to volunteer, so we think this is a good idea. There is more information about our Bake Me Home Summer Service Grants on our website www.bakemehome.com.

Emma: Thank you to Sodexo and Mr. Brady’s family (we loved meeting Pascale and her daughters) for a great trip to Washington DC.  We promise to try and do lots of good with the money you gave us!

Amy and Emma Bushman are the founders of Bake Me Home. Their organization now has more than 100 volunteers helping more than 200 families each year.

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Daily Inspirations

By Ryan Wilson
August 3rd, 2011

When I first learned that I was selected as one of Sodexo’s Heroes of Everyday Life® — a distinction for Sodexo employees who voluntarily work to end hunger in their community – I was expecting a one-day event in Washington, D.C.  I thought I would drive to D.C. the day of the event, attend the 12th Annual Sodexo Foundation Dinner that evening and return home the next morning. The Sodexo team exceeded all expectations!

The Heroes of Everyday Life Award entailed a four-day event and allowed for an invited guest to accompany each Hero.

Day 1- was a meet-n-greet with the other Sodexo Heroes and an orientation to events about to unfold over the next three days. It was a great ice breaker and we met several of the key staff coordinating this experience.

Day 2 – was a top notch – “2nd: to none day!” It started with meeting several key members of the Sodexo’s PR, Community Relations and Government Affairs teams. They were our escorts for the day.

We then went to the U.S. Capitol Building for an all day tour, to include the House and Senate sides of the Capitol Building. Typically when touring the whole Capitol Building complex you exit the building to get to the other office buildings – House or Senate side. Our escorts, however, scored us access to the transportation train that runs in the basement of the Capitol. This train is off limits to the general public and is mostly used for congressional staff only. It was rather cool walking the tunnels and riding the train with our country’s leaders. I walked right by one from my home state – Senator Toomey, from Pennsylvania!

We also ate in one of the congressional staff only cafeterias. Once again, this area is not for the general public so I felt rather privileged to be dining among our legislators!

But, the best part of the day was meeting with our home state senators (Senator Casey on my visit) or their staff person and telling them our stories and about all of the positive things that Sodexo does in local communities.

That evening we had dinner with Board members of the Sodexo Foundation and met the Stephen J. Brady STOP Hunger Scholarship recipients. These students were just awesome. The things that they are doing for the cause at such a young age are truly remarkable.

Day 3 –was the day of the Foundation Dinner. It was attended by more than 930 people and raised $1 million for the Sodexo Foundation. The evening was filled with powerful stories about fighting hunger.

Day 4 – allowed time for reflection before heading home. Taking it all in, I had a renewed appreciation for each honoree and the work that the Sodexo Foundation does on a daily basis. I was inspired to do more!

In addition to being publically recognized at the dinner, Heroes were awarded a $5,000 check for the hunger relief charity of their choice.  I will present mine to North Hills Community Outreach (NHCO) at its August 2011 Board Meeting. NHCO will use the grant to cover operating costs for their two food pantries. Its pantries serve about 1,200 low-income families every year.

Ryan Wilson is a Sodexo General Manager for the Beaver Area School District in Pennsylvania. His food drives and donations have provided more than 54,000 meals to families and children in his community.

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Beyond Responsibility

By Frances Williams
July 26th, 2011

Frances Williams, one of Sodexo’s 2011 Heroes of Everyday Life®

Having an opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. where I was honored as one of Sodexo’s Heroes of Everyday Life® was a wonderful experience for me, as well as my mother who I invited along for the trip. I want to begin, however, by personally expressing my gratitude toward Sodexo and all of the people that have supported my initiative from the very beginning.  Without that support I would not be able to do what needs to be done for the thousands who are benefiting from volunteer efforts like mine.

What a great honor it has been to be recognized by the Sodexo Foundation for the work I do beyond my paid responsibilities.  Even as we were being recognized by some very distinguished individuals, it was such a humbling experience just to be in the midst of everyday people who think of others and act on their thoughts.  I have learned a lot from that experience and will hold it dear to my heart as I continue to grow with Sodexo.

The grant which was awarded to my Do Over Ministry will go a long way to help thousands of individuals as I plan to expand my resources and reach many more people in need using the finances provided.  One of many ways it will help is through an effort that will take place around the end of August, where we will be able to provide uniforms, book bags, school supplies, and after school snacks to approximately 75 school children.

My gratitude cannot be overstated for having the opportunity to work with such a caring company and for it to not only recognize, but to encourage my passion for providing for those less advantaged.

I was proud that my mother could be there with me on the evening of the awards presentation at the 12th Annual Sodexo Foundation Dinner. Yes, I invited her. But, she – through her example – got me there.

Frances Williams is a Sodexo Cook at PNC Bank and is the founder of Do Over Ministry, which offers clothing, career guidance, education and nutritional counseling in Philadelphia communities.

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A Privilege to be a Part of Feeding Our Future

By Shaynee Roper, RD, LD
July 8th, 2011

The Sodexo Foundation established Feeding Our Future® to ensure that children who depend on federal meal programs during the school year still receive nutritious meals during the summer months.

Driving my step children to Summer Camp this morning, I checked to make sure each of them had $5 “snack money” for their field trip today.  Being a Dietitian, I asked them not to buy sweets, like candy and popsicles, but I still knew most of the money would be spent on junk food.

While making the drive from camp to Sodexo, I began thinking about a volunteer event my team and I participated in last year during the Feeding Our Future® program. That particular day, we were serving “Make Your Own Pizza”: English Muffins, Marinara Sauce, and Shredded Mozzarella Cheese. 

One child broke the English muffin in half, used only half of the sauce & cheese.  He carefully placed the leftover sauce & cheese in a little container, snapped the top on and slid the English muffin half back into his bag.  I asked him if there was something wrong with his food; he shook his head “no”.  He then looked up to me with his big brown eyes and said, “We don’t have any food at home right now, so I am taking this home to share with my mom and dad.”  We told him to go ahead and eat the whole pizza, and then gave him 2 more pizzas for his parents. 

That meal was the only meal that family was going to have that day, and possibly for several days.  I wondered how many children are in the same situation as that child was — Not only here in Houston, but all over this Nation.

Sodexo has given me the opportunity to help put an end to the awful problem of childhood hunger. We now have 24 sites throughout the U.S. involved in Sodexo’s Feeding Our Future program.  I am proud to work for a company who makes the fight against hunger part of their mission.

Seeing the faces of those children who benefitted from the meals we provided that day has made a profound impact on my life. Each of us making the site visit that day left in tears, but at the same time, we felt incredibly lucky to have what we have.

It is amazing for me to think that I sent my step children to Summer Camp with a full lunch and money for a snack.  My biggest worry was keeping them away from junk food.  Their lunch alone was probably more food than most of the children served in the Feeding Our Future program receives in a week!

Shaynee Roper is a Sodexo dietitian and clinical nutrition manager for the Harris County Hospital District in Houston, Texas.

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Youth-Inspired Efforts to Fight Hunger

By Steven A. Culbertson
April 15th, 2011

Youth Service America event in Chicago

Today, more than half the world’s population is under age 25, presenting an unprecedented opportunity to engage young people in solving the most pressing problems around the globe.

What better way to champion a social cause than using such a passion-filled demographic as the purveyors of change? Look around at the world today; democratic uprisings are being started by people barely old enough to drive a car.  

While America is fortunate enough to have a democratic government, our great country is not without challenges. 14.1 million children live in poverty, 1 in 50 kids don’t know where they will sleep tonight and an astounding 1 in 4 children – 17 million — don’t have enough food on a daily basis.

The Sodexo Foundation is putting the ability to solve childhood hunger, directly into the hands of children. Sodexo Youth Grants are unique in that young people age 5 – 25 have the opportunity to apply for them in order to start and implement projects independently.

On Global Youth Service Day, April 15 – 17, hundreds of children across the country will participate in 25 different Sodexo Foundation-funded projects.

For example, the Keystone Kids Project in Philadelphia is addressing hunger and homelessness through film. Kids from age 12 – 17 will interview fellow youth who struggle with poverty daily, including those who rely on soup kitchens to eat. Upon showing the film, participants will hold a 24-hour fast with activities that raise awareness about child hunger among their peers, politicians and members of the community.

Another project of note takes place in St. Paul, Minnesota. The Mayor’s Youth Task Force will conduct a campaign (from April to August) called “Hunger Doesn’t Take the Summer Off.” This will draw awareness to and showcase how many children receive free and reduced lunches during the school year and what their options are during the summer. Grant recipients will set up an information booth at the local library, distribute literature, recruit volunteers to pack food and assist with the local food shelf.

Today’s youth are not waiting to “grow up” to become leaders of change; they are perfectly capable of leading it today.

Steven A. Culbertson is president and CEO of Youth Service America an international nonprofit organization that partners with thousands of organizations committed to increasing the quality and the quantity of volunteer opportunities for young people to serve locally, nationally, and globally.

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Ending Childhood Hunger One State at a Time

By Patricia Nicklin
February 22nd, 2011

Participating in Maryland’s Summer Meals Planning Conference was such an honor.  The exciting news included the announcement of Sodexo Foundation’s $20 million commitment to ending childhood hunger in partnership with Share Our Strength and Youth Service America.

Rosemary King Johnston, executive director of the Maryland Governor’s Office for Children, told me that Sodexo Foundation president Steve Brady was one of the first people she met after Governor O’Malley asked her to lead efforts to end childhood hunger in Maryland. Steve assured her that her work with Share Our Strength would make a real impact and attract support from companies, foundations and public servants across the state. Steve, Rosemary and I have seen Steve’s prediction become reality, thanks largely to Sodexo’s vision and steadfast commitment to the children in its headquarters state and beyond.

One question has motivated me for the last six years: “How can we end childhood hunger in the United States?”  Share Our Strength adopted this goal as our priority in 2004 and launched the first childhood hunger plan in Washington, D.C. with funding from Sodexo Foundation. Now, just seven years later, we have launched No Kid Hungry Campaign partnerships in 11 cities and states, including Maryland, and plan to be in 18 states by the end of 2011.

Share Our Strength’s goal of ending childhood hunger by 2015 through public-private partnerships has inspired me to join the Partnership for Public Service. It is more important than ever to build partnerships across the sectors – including companies like Sodexo – to solve the nation’s most serious social problems. 

Although I am leaving Share Our Strength after 12 years to become the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Partnership for Public Service, I’m so pleased to know that the important work of the organization will continue to grow, thanks to the deepened commitment from Sodexo Foundation to ending childhood hunger. Together we have already changed the lives of thousands of families and children.  We have given them not just food, or money, but a voice and hope.  Thank you for your support and best wishes as the partnership continues.

Partnership for Public Service is a national nonprofit organization that works to revitalize our federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve. I am incredibly excited to work on this important issue, and will not forget the important work Share Our Strength, Sodexo and others do every single day to assist those in need.

Patricia Nicklin is the managing director of Share Our Strength®, a national non-profit dedicated to ending childhood hunger in America. She will soon depart to become the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Partnership for Public Service, a non-profit dedicated to revitalizing public service and improving government performance.

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A Renewed Commitment to Fighting Childhood Hunger

By Steve Brady
January 31st, 2011

It seems unimaginable that there are children in our country that do not know where their next meal will come from. But it is a fact that 1 in 4 children in the United States don’t have access to nutritious meals that they need to grow, learn and succeed. This is why Sodexo has provided more than 2.5 million free summer lunches to children since 1997 and the Sodexo Foundation has been fighting hard to alleviate hunger since 1999.

Today, our Foundation had the pleasure of announcing its renewed commitment to fighting hunger at a summer meals summit in Baltimore with the Governor’s Office for Children. As Gaithersburg, Maryland is home to our North America headquarters, we were honored to share how Sodexo will help Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley meet the strategic goal of ending childhood hunger in Maryland by 2015.Now, I’m proud to share with you that the Sodexo Foundation has made a commitment to provide $20 million in grants and in-kind donations to support and create new, innovative approaches and solutions to ensure the 17 million children in the United States facing hunger grow up with dependable access to nutritious food to lead healthy, productive lives.Building on more than 10 years in the fight against hunger, we will increase our impact by partnering with Share Our Strength and YSA (Youth Service America) to help fund more summer meals programs like Feeding Our Future®, engage youth nationwide to join the fight and provide special grants to youth, non-profit organizations and schools.We’ll continue to focus our efforts nationally, but we will also deepen our No Kid Hungry by 2015 impact through increased funding for summer meals programs in Maryland, Virginia and Florida. Currently, 207,000 children face hunger in Maryland, only 18 percent of eligible Virginia kids participate in summer meal programs and Florida ranks 29th in the U.S. for summer meals participation. Our goal is to help these states, and others across the nation, ensure all kids have access to nutritious food where they live, learn and play.Our new commitment  will take us beyond summer meals, as we aim to engage young people to lean about hunger and poverty, and mobilize them to volunteer their time and have a direct impact in their community. I welcome your thoughts and ideas for what we should include in an online youth action center that will be developed to educate elementary, middle and high school students about hunger and poverty.Sodexo and the Sodexo Foundation will also continue to support new and existing programs including offering services such as training with our chefs to teach families how to cook easy, nutritious meals; recognizing and rewarding students who have made a significant impact in the fight against hunger with our Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholarships program; and volunteering thousands of hours each year in local food banks including our annual Sodexo Servathon.As president of the Sodexo Foundation, I take hunger personally and look forward to this next phase of achievement and working together with you, our partners and the youth of America to have an even greater impact as we fight to end childhood hunger.Steve Brady is president of the Sodexo Foundation.

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My Top 5 Reasons for Applying for the $5,000 STOP Hunger Scholarship

By Cassie Muller
January 27th, 2011

My name is Cassie Muller and fighting childhood hunger has become my passion. Three years ago I was selected as a STOP Hunger Scholar for my service providing meals to children in my community.  My favorite part is watching the kids smile while they enjoy a hot meal. With the matching grant I received from winning a Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholarship, I was able to put the money toward feeding even more children. To learn more about my story, click here.

Applications are now being taken for the Sodexo Foundation’s 2011 STOP Hunger Scholarship program, which recognizes the great work young people do in their communities to fight hunger. STOP Hunger Scholars receive a $5,000 scholarship and the local organization of their choice also receives a $5,000 grant.

In these challenging times, $5,000 for school is quite an incentive to fill out an application But…if you need some more motivation, here are the Top 5 Reasons For Applying for the STOP Hunger Scholarship:

5.   Scholarships have been awarded to students as young as 7 and as “old” as 22.
4.   You get to fly to Washington, D.C. to attend the Sodexo Foundation dinner—for free.
3.   Winning a $5,000 scholarship is better than mowing lawns or scooping ice cream to raise money for school!
2.   Meet other STOP Hunger Scholars who are also doing their part to fight hunger.
1.   You don’t volunteer for the money or honor, but it’s always nice to be recognized for helping others.

If you need even more of a reason, click here to see for yourself how other STOP Hunger Scholars are fighting hunger in their communities.

Have I convinced you? I hope so, because now’s the time to apply for the Sodexo Foundation 2011 STOP Hunger Scholarships. Don’t wait – the application period closes February 18, 2011!

Cassie Muller is a 2008 Sodexo Foundation STOP Hunger Scholar.

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Win a $5,000 Scholarship for all the Good Work You Do!

By Joshua Williams
January 13th, 2011

Click to apply!

My name is Joshua Williams and I want to tell you about the STOP Hunger Scholarships which honor students who are working in our neighborhoods and communities fighting hunger.

I’m 9 now, but started helping to feed hungry people in Miami when I was much younger. My Foundation, Joshua’s Heart, distributes food every week to homeless, elderly, and homebound people in our community. Watch my foundation in action here. I look REALLY young, but it’s still just me! There was also an article written about Joshua’s Heart by Sodexo, which you can click here to read.

As a 2010 STOP Hunger Scholar, I was awarded a $5,000 scholarship (which my mom put in the bank for college!) In addition, Joshua’s Heart received a $5,000 grant, which was incredibly helpful in these tough economic times.

So if $5000 for school and $5000 for the charity of your choice sounds good, then now’s the time to apply for the Sodexo Foundation 2011 STOP Hunger Scholarships!

If you’re making a difference helping hungry people in your community, you should tell the Sodexo Foundation about it — maybe you will be selected as one of this year’s national STOP Hunger Scholars.

Your local charity will get a much needed grant and you’ll get a great head start on paying for college. Don’t wait – applications close February 18, 2011!

Joshua Williams is a 2010 STOP Hunger Scholar and the founder of the Joshua’s Heart foundation.

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